Police attempted to impose draconian bail conditions on tree-defender Rosamond Palmer this morning (Monday 7 January), when she appeared at Hastings Magistrates Court for her plea and directions (see here for background). Fortunately, the prosecutor declined to pursue them on the grounds that three weeks had passed since her arrest, during which Ms Palmer had had no bail conditions at all except to return to court (and therefore that the new conditions couldn’t be justified).

The draconian conditions would have barred Ms Palmer from entering either Sidley or the Combe Valley until her trial in August (see maps above and below). The conditions would also effectively have barred Ms Palmer from travel to Crowhurst (where she is responsible for feeding chickens at the Community Supported Agriculture Project) and London (as the prohibited area includes a section of the rail connection between Hastings and the capital).

We strongly advise any persons arrested in the course of the campaign not to accept any such conditions, and to challenge them in court if necessary.